Overcasting Horizons
by vampiresareoutthere
Summary: Bella has a dark secret looming over her past. Can moving to Forks and making friends with the Cullens bring her out of her shell? Is bad boy and player Edward the answer to her heart's desire? All Human OOC LEMON LOVERS STICK AROUND!
1. Chapter 1

Overcasting Horizons

Breakaway

Chapter 1

**A/N: Okay, so I've finally decided to write myself a story. Technically, this isn't my first story (Daylight Eruption, my first, is still going), but this is the first one under my account. I love Daylight Eruption like a child, but it doesn't feel like my very own. Since it is a continuation of Stephanie Meyer's books, it feels like the heart and soul of the story is hers. So, I decided I'd try my hand at making a story up from scratch. Sure it'll be difficult, but what the hell? How hard can it be? :P**

**Before I start, I'd like to dedicate this story to a few people: WeepingWillow1494 – my best friend who posted Daylight Eruption for me before I had an account. LOVE YA, CARLEE!!!!! stuartofnorway – my loving and very supportive boyfriend. STUART, YOU ARE MY LIFE, MY ONE LOVE, AND MY INSPIRATION!!!!!! Finally, to toxicbluecrayon and ashel-13 – I have no idea who the hell you are, but YOU TWO ARE MY WRITING IDOLS!!!!!!!**

**(Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight . . . fuck, I wish I could call that piece of genius my own.)**

**Now that I got all that shit off my chest, LET'S DO IT!!!!!!!!!**

BPOV

"_Pull down your pants."_

_I stared at the dark man in utter disbelief. He could not be serious . . . could he?_

"Do it!" He commanded, shoving me to the pavement. There was a loud crack as my head made contact with hard cement. All my thoughts began to go fuzzy, as I struggled to cling to consciousness. My eyes seemed to roll to the back of my head as I strained them to focus on the picture of terror in front of me.

"_NOW!" He screamed at me, sending a sharp kick to my gut. Holding in a whimper, I shook my head to clear the image and summoned all my strength for a final protest._

"_NO! I WON'T!"_

"_You'll do as you're told!" He roared, aiming an open-handed blow to my jaw. My salty tears of anger began to stream down my face, mixing with the blood issuing from my mouth, creating a pretty grotesque figure. But I cared nothing for my appearance at the time. All I could of was that he _must not_ get my pants down. Soon as that happened, all hope was lost._

_The man grabbed some thin rope, and began binding my hands together. I struggled in vain, only getting another kick for my troubles. The vital remembrance shot throw my hazy mind again._ He must not get my pants down.

_As he leaned over to do the dirty work himself, I waited until the opportune moment and sent a kick straight to the crotch of his pants. He fell to the ground howling with pain and rage, sending a look of daggers at me. If looks could kill, I would have died at that very moment._

It did not take long for him to recover from his recent injury. Seconds later, he was strangling me with a rope. I twisted and turned, unable to break free, finally sending out a scream.

"HELP ME!"

My eyes flew open, and I jumped up from my lying position. Gasping for breath, I shot worried glances around my bedroom. My hand passed over my sweaty forehead, as reality hit me. That flash back dream seemed so real . . . it was like I was living that nightmare over again. But it was over. Done. In the past. That chapter in my life was closed. He was not coming back for me. It was all just dream.

I was awakened from my reverie by a sharp knock at the door. "Bella? Sweetheart, are you alright?"

Renee's voice was filled with worry, and I couldn't really blame her. I must have seen like a completely different girl these past few months, constantly shooting cautious glimpses over my shoulder, staying home as much as possible, and finally, screaming in my sleep for someone to help me. I didn't have the courage to inform her of the event which had taken place, and seriously doubted I ever would. Feeling like she was in the dark about something, I'm sure, didn't help her already panicky personality. And I know it definitely didn't help me at all.

"Is everything okay?" she asked again, this time not waiting for an answer before she opened the door. Her appearance was rather disheveled, like she just woke up and ran out of bed. My mom's usually neat hair was in a messy bun, pieces of it sticking out all over the place. She was, however, wearing very stylish satin pajamas, making her look like a head-on collision between a fashion plate and a nightmare. But compared to the dreams I was just having, she was such a welcome sight, and looked like the most beautiful thing in the world.

"Mom! I'm so sorry, did I wake you up?" I apologized, excepting her daily morning hug. From her warm body drifted the scent of red roses, the flavor of her favorite shampoo, which left me in no doubt about what she did last night.

"No, not really. I was just about to get up anyway, when I heard you scream," she looked at me questioningly. "Was it another nightmare?"

I nodded my head, reluctant to go into the details. "Must've been something I ate last night," I commented quickly, trying to change the subject. The last thing I wanted to talk about right now was the freakish reality that was my life. Awkward.

"What did you eat last night, Bella?" she asked suspiciously, tapping her finger impatiently on my midnight blue bed sheets.

I paused for a moment, staring absentmindedly at her manicured nails. I cooked chili last night, and talked to Renee while she ate it. Then, I cleaned up the dishes before attacking my procrastinated math homework. After working for a couple hours, I crawled into my cozy bed without a second thought. Whoops. "Nothing," I finally admitted, shifting uncomfortably as she glared at me. I had the feeling there was a lecture coming on.

"Well _that's_ your problem, Isabella Marie Swan. And this is not the first time I've had to tell you this: if you do not eat food, you will have nightmares," she preached. "Do I have to force you to eat like a two-year-old child?"

I struggled to keep a straight expression on my face, but the mental image of Renee doing chugga chugga choo choo train into my mouth was suddenly too much to bear. The smile which was twitching at the corner of my mouth broke into full bloom.

"I'm glad you think it's funny," Renee sighed, "but wait until you're the parent."

"If I can do it half as well as you do, I'll be doing a great job," I complimented, placing butterfly kiss on her tanned cheek. I didn't want her to think all of this was her fault. Cause it wasn't.

My mom melted under the caress, and let out another sigh. "I still think I can do better," she insisted, gazing off into space deep in thought. "I mean, you're not eating, sleeping, socializing, . . . I'm not an idiot, Bella; something's wrong."

I squirmed again, and bit my plump lower lip. She had a point: as my mother, she had a right to know what was going on in her own daughter's life. But I couldn't, I just couldn't tell her. Luckily, I didn't have to. Renee had her own ideas.

"That's it," she announced. "I have no other choice: you need to stay with Charlie for a while. Maybe he'll have better luck making you eat."

My eyes widened in fear. Leave? Leave bright, sunny Phoenix? Leave my home? Leave my adorable, scatter-brained mother? "But, Mom--" I tried to protest.

"No buts, honey," she shook her head. "It's been years since you've seen him, and the change in scenery will be good for you. Besides, you should spend more time with your father . . . god knows it'll do the poor man's stomach a good deed if nothing else."

I gave a sigh of defeat. Looked like there was no arguing her out of it. I decided to look at it as a great opportunity. A fresh new start. Meeting new people, making new friends, and shutting the door on my past experiences. A breakaway from this cage inside me. "I guess you're right, Mom," I admitted. "Maybe a change in scenery is exactly what I need."

"I know I'm right, angel," she agreed. "I'm gonna go call Charlie right now."

As I watched her retreating figure, I couldn't help the second smile which formed on my lips. I loved my mother so much. All her quirky character traits, habits, and even her faults. She seemed like motherly perfection in my eyes. How could I live without her?

With this question unanswered, I climbed out of bed reluctantly. Might as well get up and enjoy as much time as I could with her, before I had to leave.

I distractedly grabbed a black t-shirt and jeans, making my way to the bathroom. Soon as I was under the steamy water, I began to feel better. I was sure there'd be plenty of things in Forks, Washington for me to like. Definitely not the seemingly endless rainy weather, but spending time with Charlie could be better for our relationship than not seeing him at all.

I massaged my strawberry shampoo into my hair, breathing in deeply to inhale the rich scent. Many people told me that smell pretty much described my character: sweet and beautiful. I never considered myself much of a beauty; my hair was a chocolate brown which was too dark, my skin was pale and a shade too light for my hair, and all my features seemed to be the wrong size. My eyes looked large in my hollow face, and appeared to always have a haunted ghost behind them. I guess it's because I basically was a ghost.

Or at least Renee insisted I was. I guess she was just about at her wits' end with me. I couldn't really blame her for sending me away; I'd do the exact same thing if I was in her shoes.

Collecting my scattered thoughts, I finished washing up and getting dressed. Following the smell of burnt marshmallows, I made my way downstairs. On the stove lay the ashes of what I assumed was supposed to be breakfast. Black toast, black eggs, black bacon. I began to detect a general trend here. "Did you have a nice chat with Charlie?" I joked, gesturing at the "food" on the table.

"Sorry, Bella," she apologized. "I guess I got a little . . . distracted."

"How unusual for you!" I teased, giving her a forgiving hug. "Don't worry; I'll get something together quick."

Within minutes, I cut up some fresh fruit and topped it off with Cool Whip. "So is Charlie up for the challenge?" I inquired, after sitting down and beginning to eat. Not because I was hungry. But because if I didn't, Renee would probably have heart failure. Again.

"He's actually very excited, Bella; more than usual for him," Renee commented, forking a peach slice into her mouth. "Charlie said he'd take you just as soon as you finish up the school year."

Two weeks. That's all the time I had left with my mother. "So soon?" I muttered, keeping my eyes glued to my plate. My mom was right; this eagerness and excitement was totally weird for my dad. Guess it had been even longer since my last visit than I thought.

"He said he wants you to spend at least the whole summer with him," my mom continued, ignoring my remark. "Lots of activities to get you involved in, lots of opportunities for you to meet new people, and maybe, if you're lucky, you can find yourself a boyfriend."

I gave a sarcastic laugh. "Yeah. Like _that's_ gonna happen."

My single status was always a disappointing topic for my mom. Not that it should've surprised me; she had a boyfriend ever since she set foot in her school. Me being the more secluded type, I had never attracted much male attention. And I'd never been in love, therefore, never desiring it. But that never stopped my mom from hoping that one day she'd actually have to ask me if I was using protection. In her dreams. God, I must be a huge disappointment for her.

Renee sighed. "I suppose it won't encourage boys much, knowing that your father is a police officer. And in the house," she added, letting out another breathy sigh. "But maybe some of the brave, straight ones will come by."

I stood up and walked over to her, wrapping my arms around her shoulder. "As soon as I get a boyfriend, I _promise_ you'll be the first one to know about it," I teased, kissing the top of her messy bed head.

"If you ever do," she grumbled, letting her face fall into her hands.

*****************************************

The next two weeks flew by in a blur of books, pencils, and exams. I was dreading my departure to Forks, which was probably why the time seemed to pass quicker than normal. The only person who was there through it all, completely understanding what I was going through, was my best friend: Jacob Black.

"So you're really gonna move away and leave me, huh?" he growled, squashing an innocent ant under his foot.

I tried to explain for the millionth time. "I'm not _leaving_ you, Jake," I corrected. "I'm going to stay with Charlie for a while in Washington. You know, Charlie? My birth father? The man who has every right in the world to have his share of me?"

"No, I know, I understand why you're going," he clarified. "I just don't want to leave you alone. I mean, what if that fucker comes after you again?"

I couldn't help the shiver which ran down my spine. "I don't know . . . I _hope_ he won't. What are the chances that he'll find me again? In Forks?"

Jacob shrugged and nodded. "Pretty slim, I guess. But I still don't think it's right, letting you go to a place where you don't have any friends to watch your back."

I kicked a loose pebble at Jacob's old car. "I'm really gonna miss you, Jake," I finally admitted, my famous blush beginning to form on my cheeks.

When I found the courage to lift my eyes, Jake was standing very close to me. "I'm gonna miss you too, Bella."

As I felt a tear slide down my cheek, Jacob pulled me into a warm hug. This was gonna be the longest summer of my entire life.

**A/N: Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson is the song my chapter is named after. I always thought it was kinda neat to name the chapters after songs which sorta tell their story, so I'm gonna do it! Sure the songs won't always completely fit, but I swear the titles will always make sense. If you don't like it, suck it up! :P**

**As you can probably tell, there are a lot of secrets about Bella's past life which will eventually unfold with the story. I'm determined not to spill any secrets, so don't mess with my good intentions.**

**But I did try not to put much of a cliffy at the end of the chapter :) Oh, I realize every chapter is a cliffy in its own way . . . but whatever. It's not intentional!**

**Let me know what you think . . . whether I'm tolerably okay, or whether I should go soak my head in kerosene if I want to waste my time! :P**

**I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!**


	2. Chapter 2

Overcasting Horizons

All Summer Long

Chapter 2

A/N: Okay, I know it's been a while since I last updated, but I was on vacation. And I can totally sympathize with other people who have been away from home with NO Internet access. IT SUCKS GAY ASS!!!!!!!!!! :P

**I feel like my imagination is all bottled up and ready to be unleashed. So Daylight Eruption has been updated too. Bonus for those who are joint readers between my two stories!**

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight . . . but I do own Robert Pattinson so all you posers can BACK OFF MY PROPERTY!!!! :P

BPOV

"Hiya Bells!"

I turned to where the familiar voice came from, and immediately clamped eyes on my father. "Dad!" I gasped, running into his arms. It felt so good to see him again.

"I haven't seen you in forever! Let me look at you." Charlie pushed me back an arm's length, letting his curious eyes roam all over my body. "You're all grown up," he finally concluded with a sigh. "It's been _way_ too long."

I nodded in agreement, taking the time to look him over as well. His tan skin looked slightly more wrinkled than I last remembered and I thought I detected more grays in his dark hair, but other than that, he was the same old Charlie that I knew and loved. Right down to the old fashioned mustache he still styled as if it was at the peak of the fashion world, everything was exactly like before. Some things just never change.

"And how have things been around here with you?" I asked him, determined not to keep all the attention for myself.

Charlie sighed and shook his head. Apparently things couldn't have been that great. "Animals reeking havoc on the roads?" I pressed, trying to make him ramble on something before he brought up the real reason Renee sent me here. My plan seemed to work pretty well; Charlie liked to talk about work stuff. Usually.

"If only," he complained, shaking his head again. "Animals I can handle. People on the other hand . . ." Charlie rolled his eyes to emphasize his point.

"Troublemakers?" I prodded. I certainly smelled trouble.

"You bet. There is a new family that just moved down here two years ago . . . Cullen is the name . . . they've got three teenagers who just make you wanna rip all the hair off of your head," Charlie exaggerated, making dramatic gestures with his hands. Poor guy looked like he was at his wits' end.

"All three of them?" I asked, shocked. I never knew a family before who had all their teenagers in trouble.

"Well, no," Charlie admitted sheepishly. "Not all of them. Just their one boy, Edward. But believe me, he makes enough trouble for the three of them! You'd think that their oldest, Emmett, would be the troublemaker . . . seriously, Bells, this kid is _huge_ . . . but he's as obedient as the Christ child. And Alice, their girl, is a sweetheart; not a lick of trouble from her. Edward now . . ." another shake of the head "I always say it's the innocent looking ones who are the worst."

"Bad parenting?"

"No, not at all! Carlisle and Esme do their very best, but I seriously doubt even God could keep Edward out of trouble."

I couldn't help laughing aloud at Charlie's tirade. This Edward must be down to Charlie's last straw. And while I pitied my dad, it was still pretty funny to see him this worked up over someone other than me. "That bad, huh?" I chuckled.

"Worse. That was the edited version," he laughed back. "But you don't need to hear anymore; enough from me. How has life been treating you?"

I gave an involuntary shudder. There was the very question I was trying to avoid. "Things have been pretty . . . stressed . . . for me. I'm just happy it's vacation so I can kick back and relax," I summarized in as few words as possible. No need to go in any details with Charlie. Especially since it would hurt me less if I left things out.

"Well, you've certainly come to the right place," he announced, sounding like a recorded commercial. "We have everything here from depressing weather to the Devil's children themselves."

I laughed again. "It'll be just fine," I insisted, shrugging my shoulders. "I don't need much to be kept entertained."

"Hey, speaking of being entertained, there's a camp that the school's hosting starting next week. You should sign up for that. It's a great way to get out in the fresh air," Charlie suggested, looking hopefully at me. "And who knows? Maybe your exceptionally good behavior will rub off on the other kids." He didn't say Edward, but it didn't take a genius to know he was thinking about him.

"Camp?"

"Sure."

"Uh, Dad, isn't that for . . . little kids?" I asked skeptically. Last thing I needed was to be part of a group of kids running around playing hide-and-go-seek and cops-and-robbers.

"No! Not at all!" he declared. "Maybe I shouldn't have used the word 'camp'. It's not really a camp, but you go every single day, so that's the first word that popped into my head. No, it's more like all the kids in high school just hanging out together and doing whatever. Stuff like fishing, boating, swimming, partying, . . ."

Everything that would be completely hazardous to my life. "I don't know, Dad," I hesitated. "I'm not too great at any of those things . . . How many days does this go for?"

"Only a week, Bella," he comforted. "And I think this'll be a great way for you to meet people to hang out with for the rest of the summer."

Ah-ha. There it was. He was worried I'd mope around like I did at home. Looks like he listened to Mom's advice more than I gave him credit for. Or more than I hoped. "When's the sign-up deadline?" I sighed, defeated.

"Great! The deadline is tonight, actually, so I'm afraid I'll have to take you there before I take you home," Charlie stated apologetically.

"Sure thing. Just let me find my stuff."

It wasn't hard to find my bags in the now abandoned airport. After I got my luggage, I followed Charlie to his police cruiser and hopped into the passenger seat. How many people can say they rode in the chief of police's car and got to sit in the front seat?

We drove immediately to the school, and against my better judgment, I signed up for the stupid camp thing. I figured it's the least I could do to make my dad happy. And he was literally beaming with pride when he introduced me to the principal. Apparently he had been speaking of my arrival for quite a while to the people around here.

By the time we had made it home, I was half dead with exhaustion. I dragged my suitcases up to my room with Charlie's help, and crashed on the bed fully dressed. I was freakishly homesick, and it completely wiped me out.

The next morning, I awoke from a dreamless night and made my way downstairs. I fixed Charlie's breakfast, not feeling like any myself, and walked back upstairs to make myself more presentable. I showered and got dressed before I came back down, just in time to see Charlie heading out the door.

"Morning, Bells," he greeted cheerfully. "Had a good night's sleep?"

"Better than usual," I admitted. "Must be the depressing weather. Did you eat breakfast?"

"Mm-mm," he mumbled. "And it was _de_-licious. I'm pleased to say you don't take after your mother in the cooking area at least."

I had to laugh with him at that. Even Charlie couldn't forget how bad my mom was at cooking . . . and it had been years since he'd last seen her. Then again, it wasn't something you could forget in a hurry.

"Speaking of Mom, I'd better call her before she gets worried. I was just too whipped to do it last night," I explained, picking up the closest phone.

Charlie nodded in agreement, mumbling something about it being a good idea, then walked back to the door. "I'm gonna head up river and go fishing," he informed me, waving the fishing pole in his hand.

"Have fun," I told him, cradling the phone between my ear and shoulder to wave my hand at him.

Just as soon as the door slammed shut, my mom picked up on the other line. "_Hello?_"

"Hi Mom, it's me," I greeted cheerfully.

"_Bella! Thank God you called! I was so worried something had happened_," she cried out in relief. Trust my mom to get worried over something like a late phone call.

"Nah, everything is just fine," I assured her. "When are you going to meet Phil?"

For the past couple months, my mom and her new husband had been living apart for one simple reason: me. Since she had me out of the way, I assumed she would go to live with him as soon as possible. And I was right.

"_Next week_," she announced. "_He's coming to pick me up on Monday_."

"Monday? That's the day I start camp," I suddenly remembered, recalling the sign-up last night.

"_Camp? What camp?_"

I quickly explained to Renee about the camp that wasn't really a camp. "Did you put Charlie up to this?" I asked her suspiciously.

"_Of course_," she stated obviously. "_You need to interact with more people, baby_."

"And what exactly do you consider Jacob?" I questioned sarcastically. "An animal?"

"_Only when he eats_," my mom commented. "_The way that child wolfs down twenty courses can't be healthy for him_."

I snickered in amusement. Jake _did_ eat a lot of food. "Whatever, Mom," I chuckled. "He's still my best friend."

"_Speaking of which, have you called him at all?_"

"No, but I really should," I muttered. Nice best friend I was. I hadn't even told him I made it. Then again, I didn't tell my mom either. Until now.

"_Yes. You should_," she agreed. "_Well, I guess I'd better go now. I smell my breakfast burning_."

"Shame to put a scar on your 'no burnt food' record," I teased.

"_Very funny, you cheeky girl. Not all of us have your flair for cooking_."

"I miss you, Mom," I confided, my aching homesickness returning. I missed her, not her cooking.

"_Aw, baby, I miss you too!_" she responded. "_Make sure you keep Charlie's lazy ass moving!_"

"I will," I promised her.

"_I love you, Bella_."

"Love you too."

"_Bye_."

As the line went dead, I let out a sigh which seemed to split my head in two. I decided to call Jacob before I started a sob fit over my mother. "Jake?" I asked as I heard the other line pick up.

"_Hey Bella! How's Forks?_"

"Like living in the Flood," I joked. "It hasn't stopped raining since I came."

"_You probably brought it with you_," he teased.

"I tend to do that a lot."

We both laughed. "How's life without me?" I asked, honestly curious how he was taking my absence.

"_Like Hell_," he admitted. "_But I suppose I have no choice but to get used to it_."

"No, you don't," I agreed. "But it'll get easier. I'm going to some camp shit thingy on Monday . . . that's how I plan to cope."

"_Oooooo_," he commented sarcastically. "_That sounds like a hell of a lot of fun. Make sure to take it easy_."

"Very funny."

"_Damn it_," Jake muttered.

"What?"

"_My mom wants the phone; guess I'll have to go. I miss you tons, Bells_."

"I miss you too, Jake. For the time being, anyway," I kidded.

"_Have fun!_"

"You too!"

As I hung up on my second connection to my home life, I began to feel just as depressed. I really hoped that this camp thing would be worth it.

******************************************

"Welcome to Vacation Fun!" yelled the leader, Aro Volturi, who made a special effort to hype everybody up.

Screams and cheers greeted him back, and a satisfied smirk appeared on Aro's determined mouth. Aro was definitely a very unique-looking person. His long black hair which could reach his shoulders was tied back lazily into a ponytail, more for convenience rather than fashion. His pale, white skin was a striking contrast, almost translucent, compared the dark color. His eyes . . . when they looked at you . . . it looked like he was looking straight down into your soul; no secrets could be kept from Aro.

I was happily situated behind a sheltering tree, close enough to see all the action, but hidden from the view of others near the front.

"Hey!"

I almost jumped in my skin as I spun around to face the voice. I laid eyes on a very short girl, dark spiky hair, with a pixie-like charm to her mischievous face. Her startling beauty froze me into silence.

"You're in my spot!" she insisted, placing her hands stubbornly on her hips. I almost missed the corner of her mouth twitching in amusement.

"Sorry," I mumbled, moving over a step and out into the view of others. I turned my face away from her, as my cheeks turned a dark shade of red. Damn blush.

"Chillax," she assured me, hopping right by my side in one fluent movement. "I was just kidding! You're Isabella Swan, right? Chief's daughter?"

"Bella," I corrected automatically. "Yeah, that's me." I hated being called Isabella; it had the Queen of England written all over it. I much preferred Bella; simple, plain, easy. Like me.

"Nice to meet you," she replied, her full smile breaking through. She did have the most adorable dimples, and a smile that was hard to resist. I decided to overlook her little prank. "I'm Alice."

" . . . Cullen . . .?" I gulped involuntarily. Guess my dad's little horror "story" kinda took its toll on me yesterday. I had already learned to fear the name.

"Yep," she laughed.

"You're . . . Edward's . . . sister?" The first time I spoke the name; and it didn't come out easy.

"The one and only," Alice chuckled. "No doubt you've heard of him."

Her laugh was pretty contagious; I let a smile break through. "Yeah," I admitted. "Being the Chief's daughter and all."

Alice shook her head. "Poor guy. My bro's caused quite a spot of trouble for him. No wonder he's going prematurely gray," she joked.

I laughed with her. I had a funny feeling I was gonna like Alice Cullen.

**A/N: I thought it was about time I brought in a Cullen into my story. After all, they are what makes Twilight! :P**

**Okay, anyone who hasn't heard All Summer Long by Kid Rock really needs to expand their music horizons. That song is THE BOMB!!!!!! Not that it's my favorite, but EVERYONE has heard of it at one point or other.**

**Let me know what you guys think of this chapter!**

**LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!**


	3. Chapter 3

Overcasting Horizons

Don't Trust Me

Chapter 3

A/N: Sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry . . . I know it's been a while . . . but I have had the most serious case of writer's block this world has ever seen! And I'm only on the third chapter! Talk about retarded . . . . But don't worry; even if I don't update for a while, I could never abandon this story. Just send me a couple life-threats and I should update again ASAP :P

**LET'S DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!**

BPOV

"I've heard he definitely has a . . . reputation," I admitted, laughing with Alice.

"I'm afraid 'reputation' doesn't quite cover it," she contradicted, shaking her head regretfully. "Constant police calls, loud parties, drinking, graffiti all over the place, and general heartbreaker. But that's just the mask he shows to everyone on the outside; Edward really is an adorable bastard once you get to know him."

I could tell that even with all the problems she had with her brother, Alice really loved the raw, real Edward. "Is he here?" I asked curiously, my eyes skimming over the group. I wanted to see this notorious bad-boy for myself. I mean, it was totally impossible not to get a little curious by this point.

"Yeah he's . . ." Alice paused to look. "Right there."

I followed the direction of her finger, leading my gaze over to the middle of the largest crowd of noisiest teenagers. My jaw dropped.

"_That's_ Edward?"

He stood there in all his glory, the most gorgeous male I had ever seen or ever will see in my entire life. His bronze hair, in beautiful disarray, blew in the soft wind; its silky, softness captivating me with its movement. Edward looked over and my eyes locked with his. His piercing, green orbs had my entire being completely mesmerized, but that didn't stop me from taking in his dazzling god-like body; a body that looked like it was carved from smooth marble underneath his skin-tight jeans and fitted t-shirt. It was so inhumanly perfect.

I knew I needed to look away, but I couldn't; it was like he had me under some type of spell. Suddenly, Edward flashed me the most adorable crooked grin and winked at me. I blushed, dropping my eyes.

"Surprised?" Alice laughed, as if she was completely aware of what just happened to me. Almost like it was a daily routine.

"Not exactly . . . just . . ." I trailed off, remembering what my dad had said yesterday. "_I always say it's the innocent looking ones who are the worst"_. "Disappointed," I finished honestly. It wasn't a total lie, was it?

"Disappointed?" Alice repeated, shocked. "That's a first."

"No, no that's not what I meant," I clarified, my cheeks staying slightly pink. "I just meant he looks very nice—I mean like a nice person—it's a shame that he . . . well, you know . . ." My flush deepened with my embarrassing slip-ups. Fuck. When would I ever learn to say things through in my head before I blurted them out like that?

"It is," she agreed, apparently missing or ignoring my humiliating betrayal. "But, I mean, what can we do? He's the one who has to sort out his screwed up lifestyle."

I nodded understandingly. Seemed like the safest way to convey my feelings without making my face turn red. Again.

"In the mean time, all of us just have to suffer with it," Alice continued with a sigh, kicking at a pebble with the toe of her shoe. "I'm sure it's just a very, very, _very_, long . . . phase."

I was about to remark on this comment when Aro interrupted my thoughts with his loud announcement: "So who's ready for some fun?!"

"Woo-hoo!" Alice shrieked as I laughed and clapped my hands.

"The first thing we're gonna get you guys to do is . . . . rowing!" The declaration was met with cheers all around me. Keyword being 'around'.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I muttered under my breath. I swear, I could've roasted Aro over a huge pit at that moment.

"What's the problem?" Alice asked, apparently having heard me.

"Anything requiring balance or hand-eye coordination, not exactly my forté," I confessed. "So basically, this should be pure torture." Especially since I couldn't manage to walk across a flat surface without injuring someone, or myself. But Alice didn't really need to know that humiliating fact; it was bad enough that she would find out eventually.

"Don't worry; you'll be fine," she comforted.

"Easy for you to say. You haven't even seen me try to row yet," I remarked sarcastically.

"Well . . . that's not necessarily gonna be a problem. All you need is a more experienced rower," she stated practically. "I'm an okay rower, but unfortunately, Jasper has already reserved me for all the events."

"Jasper?"

"My boyfriend," Alice answered with another dimpled smile. "I mean, I _could_ ask him . . ."

"No! Don't be ridiculous! Go with Jasper," I insisted. Last thing I needed was to be the separation between a lovey-dovey couple. Talk about a guilt factor to weigh over my head for the rest of the day.

"No, really! It's no problem--"

"Shut up and go with Jasper," I laughed, pushing her towards the group of teens pairing up. "Or I'll hate myself for eternity."

"Fine. But on one condition," she announced, a hand placed stubbornly on her hip.

"What?"

"You let me find you a suitable partner first. Or at least someone who can."

"Like . . .?" I wasn't really detecting a set-up here.

"Aro!" Alice screeched for the camp leader. What the fuck?

"Alice! What the hell are you doing?" I whispered urgently, blushing at the curious glances the scream brought. Yeah, I wouldn't exactly describe myself as an attention-getter. And I wasn't used to hanging around people who were.

"Aro will have no trouble finding you a skillful partner. It'll be a piece of triple fudge chocolate cake!" she declared, clapping her hands like an excited child at her 'brilliant' idea. I confess I wasn't as enthused.

"Isn't there a more . . . discreet way to do things?"

"Why? What's wrong with this?"

"Nothing. Here's Aro," I mumbled just low enough for her to hear. I glanced under my eyelashes at the approaching figure.

"Hi, Aro!" Alice greeted cheerfully. "This is Bella Swan."

"Ah, yes, Isabella," he nodded, shaking my hand politely. "I've heard a lot about you." Way to make me feel like I've been on Candid Camera my entire life.

"Bella," I corrected. "Nice to meet you."

"It seems we have a little problem here," Alice confided, cutting right to the chase. "You see, Bella isn't very experienced with oars, so I think she'll need someone who's had a little more practice. Do you have any suggestions?"

"Well, actually, your brother doesn't seem to have a partner, and in my opinion, he's a natural," Aro complimented, nodding in the direction of the dispersing crowd.

"Uh . . . E-E-Emmett?" I stuttered, unable to say the other name which was on the tip of my tongue. He couldn't possible be talking about . . .

"Edward Cullen."

"Will, uh, will you be okay with that, Bella?" Alice asked. Her apologizing eyes practically screamed with pity.

"Sure," I gulped. "I'll be just . . . fine." I avoided their gaze and looked down at my feet. I've never been a world class liar.

"Very well," Aro said in a firm tone. "I'll send him over. Alice, Jasper told me to send you over."

"Okay." She turned to me. "See you later, Bella."

I nodded with a fake smile. "Later."

After they both walked away, I knocked the heel of my hand against my forehead. Hard. I couldn't believe I had found a way to get myself into this position. I could just imagine what Charlie would say if he was here; nothing good Edward-ward. I squeezed my eyes shut and bit my lower lip.

"Hello."

My head shot up and my eyes flew open at the beautiful, smooth voice. It was like one of those voices that made you feel like everything was gonna be okay. One problem. It was coming from the bronze-haired god in front of me.

"I'm Edward Cullen," he introduced, giving another adorable, crooked grin.

"Uh, hi," I answered, awkwardly. "I'm Bella Swan."

"It's a pleasure," he nodded, shaking my hand. He held it for a second longer than normal, then let his drop to his side. "So, I'm told we're gonna be partners."

"That's what they tell me," I smiled shyly. "I hope you're good at this thing, because to put it nicely, I suck."

He gave an attractive laugh. "Don't worry; we'll be just fine. How about we get a boat and some life-jackets and head out?"

"Sounds great." I was a little surprised. I got the impression that Edward was a rude, arrogant, huge-ego man. This person before me was nothing but a perfect gentleman. Maybe my dad was wrong about him . . . Or maybe I shouldn't give him the benefit of the doubt yet. He could be hiding a huge secret . . .

Edward and I walked side by side to the last rowboat. "So, Bella, how are you liking Forks?" Edward asked, making eye-contact.

I gave a nervous laugh. "I don't really like the rain," I confessed. "Phoenix is more my idea of ideal weather."

"So why did you come to Forks then?" he asked, confusion evident in his face. "This is the wettest place in the U.S."

"No, I know," I laughed. "But it's . . . well, uh, it's a little more complicated than that."

"How so? I mean, I'm so sorry," Edward apologized, shaking his head. "I don't mean to pry; I'm just trying to figure you out."

"It's a long story," I warned. "I promise I'll tell you sometime."

"That'll have to do for the time being," he laughed. We walked up to the last rowboat and last pair of life-jackets. "Here you go," Edward threw me one of the jackets.

I fumbled my catch, and ended up picking it off the ground. "How do you put this thing on?" I asked stupidly, holding it upside down. It was blatantly obvious I had never done this before.

"First put your arms through the holes," he instructed patiently, with a hint of a smile on his lips. "And it would be easier if you put it on this way." Edward turned the jacket the right way up.

I blushed. "Oh." By the time I had my arms through the holes, Edward's jacket was on, buckled, and zipped. I struggled trying to clip the buckles together, huffing and puffing in frustration.

"Here. Allow me." Edward touched my hands gently as he took the buckles. "After the zipper's up, it makes the clips much easier." He slid his hand up against my throat, pushing my hair past my neck and onto my back. His hand then slid slowly down my chest to the bottom of the zipper. Gracefully, Edward zipped it up. "Now try the buckles."

They clipped together embarrassingly easily. "Well, now I feel like an idiot," I observed shakily, still a little dazzled by his skin-on-skin contact.

"Don't worry about it. It must be hard if you've never had to put one on before," he soothed. "Are you ready to row?"

"Not at all. Let's go." I grabbed one side of the boat and helped to push it down to the water's edge. Edward stepped into the boat first, then held out his hand for me to do the same. I glanced uneasily at the rolling water and swallowed hard.

"You'll be perfectly safe, Bella. Trust me," he smiled with a wink. I closed my eyes and put my hand in his. He pulled me over onto the boat, but unfortunately, I stepped near the side. The entire thing began to tip from side to side, threatening to fall over altogether. I fell on top of Edward, causing him to fall onto his back on the bottom of the boat.

"Sorry," I whispered, gazing into his green eyes which were only inches away.

Edward gave a low laugh, which vibrated his chest under me. The feel was so contagious that soon we were both laughing hysterically. "Okay," I giggled. "I'm gonna get off of you now."

We both sat up, smiles still on our faces. Edward grabbed both of the oars, probably just assuming I was incompetent with them, and began rowing.

"May I?" Edward asked, plucking a water lily from the water.

"Sure."

Edward leaned forward and tucked the beautiful white flower behind my ear. "Do you still hate rowing?" he smiled.

"I think I've changed my mind about a few things today," I smiled back. This was shaping up to be one of the best days of my life.

A/N: Don't Trust Me by 3oh!3 Awesome song!! So? What did you think? Let me know . . . I love getting reviews! And the more I get, the sooner I'll update! ;)

Lots of Love!


	4. Note

Overcasting Horizons

Note

A/N: I'm sorry, guys . . . but I'm gonna have to take my story down. I wasn't lying when I said I could never abandon it . . . but I need to work on it more. I _will_ put the story back up! Maybe the story line will be different, or maybe it won't, but I reread all that I wrote and realized it needs more work.

**In the mean time, I'm still writing Daylight Eruption and that's NEVER gonna change. It's just plain mean to delete a story that's that far in.**

**I'm sorry again, but maybe redoing this will be worth it!**

**Love**

**vampiresareoutthere**


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